Navy, Air Force air traffic controllers cross-train for emergencies

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Brian Morales | Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Carly Mathieu, from New York City and assigned to Naval Air Station Key West, explains fouled-deck procedures to Tech. Sgt. Clay Guillot (left), from Addis, La., and assigned to the 259th Air Traffic Controller Squadron, and Senior Airman Christopher Owen, from Hurst, Texas, and assigned to 259th ATCS, during an emergency mobile air traffic control exercise at Boca Chica Field. Naval Air Station Key West is a state-of-the-art facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services and provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian Morales/ Released)  

KEY WEST, FL, UNITED STATES

07.25.2014

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Morales 

Naval Air Station Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. - Air National Guardsmen with the 245th and 259th Air Traffic Control Squadrons conducted air traffic control training at Naval Air Station Key West July 21-25. Air Force maintainers and air traffic controllers were transported from South Carolina and Louisiana, respectively, by the 172nd Airlift Control Flight for cross-training with Navy air traffic controllers.

The ATC squadrons are two of 10 that respond to Federal Aviation Administration requests to support the influx of air traffic during large-scale events such as the 2013 Super Bowl in Hammond, Louisiana, or natural disasters such as Hurricane Andrew which caused an estimated damage of $25 billion in South Florida.

“I’ve been to Key West before and really love the area,” said Tech. Sgt. Peter Knapp, from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and assigned to the 259th ATCS. ”I think we’re going to get some very valuable training down here for all of us, especially for the younger guys that haven’t had the opportunity to see this yet.”

Part of the training included assembling and operation of the MSN-7 mobile air traffic control tower, which enables control of five nautical miles of air space, and the TRN-48 tactical air navigation system, which provides range and bearing to pilots within 100 nm from Boca Chica Field.

“This is my first one [training exercise],” said Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Dans, from West Monroe, Louisiana, assigned to the 259th ATCS. “It’s been an amazing experience to come out and learn how to do various tasks and learn how to do my particular tasks even better,” said Dans.

Air National Guardsmen also trained with NAS Key West air traffic controllers for local air operations familiarization.

“I didn’t imagine a lot of things when I joined the Air Force but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the necessity to cross-train … It’s good to see how other branches do things,” said Dans.

• Date Taken: 07.25.2014
• Date Posted: 07.25.2014 12:37
• Story ID: 137305
• Location: KEY WEST, FL, US